


Gravity

by OhMe-OhMy (DeathsLastPrayer)



Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Identity Issues, M/M, Multi, Smut, light twincest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-18 02:42:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4689416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathsLastPrayer/pseuds/OhMe-OhMy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The weight of the world is nothing in comparison to the weight of the universe and all of the mixed emotions strewn throughout it. Zero knows this better than anyone else, Kaname included.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Force

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is AU-ish all around. Really, the premise of VK is there but I've altered a few key things. For example, Ichiru is a big part of this story in a positive way. In other words, he's not the evil twin. If it'll help, you can consider this an AU from a mix of chapter 30 (Kaname's feeding Zero) at the beginning and chapters 14-19 (Maria Kurenai/Shizuka Hiou bit) somewhere around the middle of this fanfic or so. Everything else will pretty much be orginal from there onward... especially Zero's relationship with Ichiru.

"I could be cruel to you. I could bend and mend you to my will for your insolence and blatant disrespect but I restrain myself- with great effort on my part mind you. If I were you, every day I would thank Yuuki and Ichiru for preventing me from acting out the punishments I've only dreamed of bestowing upon you because I am not known for withholding my temper." Cold dark eyes stared into equally hardened amethyst as Kaname seated himself on a chair at the far end of Zero's room. 

Hollow laughter filled the space between them as Zero aimed his gun expertly in Kaname's direction, his finger itching to pull the trigger if the vampire so much as blinked at him in a provocative fashion. "You say that as if I should afraid." Zero's bruised back straightened as he coolly glanced into those pitiless dark orbs. "What the fuck are you doing here, Kuran?" 

It had came as a surprise when Zero wandered into his room battered and bloody after a long and tedious assignment to find Kaname Kuran seated on his bed as though he were waiting for him. He'd damned his sluggish senses (hunter and vampire alike) as he quickly pulled his Bloody Rose from its hoister and pointed it in the man's direction. He'd had enough of their kind for one night, purebloods in particular, and he was in no mood for Kaname's mind games or bullshit. Zero was able to put up with it for Yuuki and Ichiru's sakes but they weren't around at the moment. 

Currently, Zero was agitated and he felt like shit. It would only take one move on Kaname's part before he decided to empty seventeen shells of nitrate into the vampire's able body. 

Of course, he wouldn't dare kill the beast (and it was highly unlikely that he'd be able to) but he'd find immense pleasure in wounding him as best as he possibly could. "Well? I won't ask you again." 

Kaname could very nearly hear Zero's unspoken thoughts and, if it inevitably came down to it, he would thoroughly enjoy such a battle with the Hunter. He would finally be able to put the boy in his place instead of swallowing his tongue in order to appease Yuuki and Ichiru. If only he could so much as… 

Kaname quickly shook the thought from his head and his eyes narrowed as he reminded himself of why it was he'd forsaken his pride and dragged himself to Zero's room. "It has been brought to my attention that your body is beginning to reject the blood tablets." He watched as Zero's composure shifted for the briefest of moments but it was all the answer he needed. "Yuuki and Ichiru have both offered you their blood, a fact which disgusts me for I believed you stronger than your urges. Nevertheless, that has done nothing to satiate your hunger or make the tablets bearable for y-" 

"Get to the fucking point Kuran or leave." Zero hadn't missed the way Kaname's eyes flickered briefly between red as the scent of his blood finally encompassed the entirety of his room. 

It was exactly what he needed to remind himself that Kaname Kuran was nothing more than a beast, a pureblooded beast that could drain him in an instant if he so much as dropped his guard for a millisecond. And it appeared as though the creature was already livid and ready to strike if so prompted due to the fact that Zero was feeding from both Yuuki and Ichiru. Zero grimaced, he hated himself for the same reasons but he didn't need Kaname to admonish him for something that could no longer be reversed. 

"The point is that you are slowly becoming an E-Level vampire. If you do not believe me, the decreased rate in your healing capabilities and the increase in your hunger are sufficient enough indications. I give you no more than a month before you fall prey to insanity, which is an amazing feat considering you've been able to last the past decade as it is. That is far longer than anyone of _your kind_ has ever lasted without the aid of their maker. That being said, I won't allow you to further distress or harm either Yuuki or Ichiru nor will I let you exhaust your usefulness. It is because I care for them both that I have brought myself here to lend my assistance to an ingrate such as yourself." Kaname smirked smugly as he shrugged off his jacket and loosened his tie. 

He was in no way happy about the situation at hand, about what he was about to do in order to placate two human children. However, Zero's ire pertaining to the situation made it somewhat bearable. Kaname's cruel eyes watched intently as the Hunter processed all of the information he'd been fed and Kaname's smirk stretched into an indistinguishable grin as Zero's eyes lit with understanding. He was almost compelled to laugh as the Hunter's frame quivered ever so slightly whilst his heart rate picked up speed. He could see the wheels spinning in that stubborn head as Zero attempted to think of a way out of the situation in hopes of dragging himself away from the proverbial corner he was suddenly backed into. 

If Kaname weren't mistaken, and he never was, he could smell a hint of fear mingling in the air with the delicious scent of Hunter's blood. Almost _pure_ hunter's blood mixed with the distinct tinge of vampire. 

It was intoxicating. 

Kaname had smelled nothing like it in nearly a decade but he had more self-restraint than that of a cat cornering a mouse and he would only pounce if provoked. 

Zero sneered. "Get the hell out of my room." Lowering his gun his stormy lilac eyes met Kaname's near ebony irises head on. In his own right, he knew it was a futile request but he was still willing to try. 

Kaname's gaze did not falter as he unbuttoned the top four buttons of his dress shirt. "Vampire's lesser than you would sell me their souls or, better yet, their children's souls in order to be offered what I am willingly giving to you, Kiryuu, and here you scoff in my face and vulgarly insist that I vacate your living quarters? You are more of a fool than I pegged you to be." His gaze didn't dither and before Zero could speak, Kaname pressed a sharp fingernail into his neck, the scent of his blood engulfing the room as though no other smell had ever been present. 

Zero's eyes shifted to a deep red in an instant, his form crumpling to the ground as he tried to resist being lured over to the delicious crimson liquid rolling in beads down Kaname's pale neck and over his collar before finally losing sight of the exquisite vermilion trail beneath the vampire's shirt. The iron clad will that Zero had instilled upon himself since he'd been bitten and a tentative seal was placed upon his neck was dissipating as though it had never been there. He was now being driven by a carnal urge, an advocate he'd denied and beaten down with such force that it was commendable. 

The side of Zero that completely belonged to that of a vampire wanted so badly for him to heed his desires and feed. 

Zero felt disgusted and exhilarated all at once. 

It was overwhelming. 

Kaname's lips tugged upward as he watched the internal struggle going on within the young man and he felt his own blood race. He never imagined it'd be so exciting to watch such a strong individual kneel before him in attempts to resist the inevitable. Zero Kiryuu would finally succumb to his will despite the vulnerable position Kaname was placing himself in to garner such a victory. He knew very well the consequences of allowing Zero, or anyone else for that matter, to drink directly from his neck but he was willing to do this in order to keep both Yuuki and Ichiru content. 

Their happiness meant the world to him, even at the expense of his pride and comfort. 

And Zero Kiryuu wasn't entirely the worst option to allow such a privilege. Kaname had witnessed far worse beg for even less. In fact, it was safe to say that the Hunter was close to the top of the list for best options considering Zero didn't want to drink from him anymore than Kaname wanted him to. 

"Come now and save us both the trouble of dragging this out any longer than we must." Without batting an eyelash, Kaname swiftly pulled Zero towards him, easily restraining the already weakened Hunter without much effort. 

"Don't think you've won anything… Kuran…" Zero gave up the fight as he let his primal instincts take over. 

With unadulterated need, Zero's greedy mouth began to lap at the spilt droplets that he'd allowed to roll from Kaname's neck in his hesitance. In such a state, Zero was unaware of the quaint heat that traveled down the pureblood's spine due to such contact. As his mouth moved up Kaname's throat hungrily, the pureblood finally removed his sharp talons from the wound he'd inflicted upon himself and Zero's sharp fangs replaced them. Zero's right hand gripped Kaname's shoulder as his left balled into the silk shirt hanging loosely from the man's prone form, his body intimately covering Kaname's own as he straddled the vampire and drank carelessly. 

A soft groan tumbled from Kaname's lips as his hands gripped Zero's waist, pulling the boy impossibly closer. Never had he felt such an accentuated sensation, never had he felt so weak, so vulnerable. To Kaname's chagrin, he was enjoying every second of it. His neck felt so tender and the feeling of Zero _feeding_ from him was causing his mind to implode with a dark seeded desire that he both reveled in and feared. Kaname felt as though something inside of him was awakening as nothing before had. A desire he had no label for. In all of his centuries of life, he'd experienced several kinds of lusts, passions, loves, hates, and any other name-worthy emotion in the human and vampire archives alike but never had he felt what he was feeling now. 

His mind was slowly clouding as true uninhibited vampire instincts were attempting to move into gear but Kaname made a potent effort to reign in some sense of self-control. Nothing he'd read or heard about had prepared him for the awe-inspiring feeling of another drinking from him, of another viciously chewing his flesh and owning his livelihood. Kaname was starting to regret such a decision… and then Zero shifted, their pelvises meeting in a slow, almost painfully sensual way. That's when he became aware of how achingly hard he was and how positively erotic their entire situation had become. How had he forgotten how sensual the act of feeding tended to be? Perhaps the blood tablets had made him sickeningly unaware of such a fact. 

Ruby red eyes met Kaname's as Zero pulled his head away from his enticing meal and Kaname realized that the hunter, Zero Kiryuu, had been replaced by its vampire doppelganger. Had this been a different situation, Kaname would have snorted at the irony of their predicament. 

Without a word or any other form of warning, Zero experimentally shifted his hips again yearning to feel the spark he'd felt only moments ago and he wasn't disappointed. His bloodstained mouth parted in a silent moan as his crimson eyes watched the expression of the vampire beneath him morph. He was running on sensation alone by this point and he sought to feel the strong body beneath his quake with barely contained want. Zero wanted to feel that pleasurable tingle shoot through his cock as it had the first time he moved. Before he was able to move again, to wring that same intensified gratification that had sent fire flooding through his veins as he'd moved the first and the second time, Zero's hips were stilled by Kaname's strong hands. 

With more control than Kaname had ever given himself credit for, he glanced into those cinnabar eyes and rendered the ex-human immobile. "You are simply thinking with impulse alone and you won't remember much more than cursing me come morning. Knowing that, I shall not take advantage of you. It's a shame that you will not have the chance to know that I could have brought you to your knees and rendered your body numb due to pleasure alone. I would have enjoyed every second of it, even your priceless expression the morning after, but you've drunken more than your fill and the consequences… you are not worth it." Pinching a particular nerve in the Hunter's neck, Kaname watched as those blood red eyes faded into lilac before they closed. 

Carefully, he cleaned Zero of the mess on his face and chest after removing his blood stained T-shirt and jeans. Kaname placed the garments into a sink of hot water in Zero's kitchenette along with his own dress shirt before scribbling a quick note. He would inform Yuuki and Ichiru of the situation quickly and he'd tell the two to check on their brother in the morning. Pureblood was no easy food to digest, even lesser so for an ex-human, but once Zero adjusted and imbedded the power and strength into his own being he'd be fine. 

Kaname placed a hand on his tender neck and was not surprised that the grotesque wound the greedy Hunter had given him in his eagerness to feed had already healed. To even touch the spot where teeth once marred his perfect ivory flesh sent a shockwave of the darkest desire throughout his body. Shaking his head and chalking the moment up to the lingering eroticism that followed feeding, Kaname headed toward the door. 

A sigh fell from rosy lips as dark brown eyes glanced in Zero's direction one last time. 

It'd been quite sometime since he'd seen the young man looking as peaceful as he did at this moment and, dare he think it, Kaname believed Zero looked gorgeous whilst lost deep in slumber. He was not blind. Kaname was a vampire and all vampires, no matter what rank or status, were ultimately pleasure fiends. Perhaps if Zero weren't so intolerable when awake, Kaname would have fancied the idea of bedding him. Ruefully, the pureblood shook his head again. He would have to find sexual solace elsewhere. 

The matter of his straining erection very much needed to be dealt with as soon as possible… a slow smile flitted across Kaname's face. He had it in mind to allow Ruka to quell both sides of his hunger tonight. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

"When did Ken say this bastard would wake up? It's already Sunday you know." 

"Um… Kaname-sempai said that this kind of thing varies and we should just wait it out." 

"You didn't tell Cross did you, Yuu?" 

"Of course not! I don't tell dad everything you know." 

"Who are you trying to lie to? Me or yourself?" 

"Ichiru…" 

"Quit arguing… Can't sleep…" Zero groaned as he rolled in the opposite direction of the noise. 

He'd attempted to ignore them for the last ten minutes or so to no avail. All he wanted to do was sleep despite feeling more refreshed then he'd felt in years. If he weren't so lethargic, he knew he'd be able to run a marathon, participate in a triathlon, and repeat those events without a moment to spare. How he was both fatigued and energetic was beyond his comprehension. He felt absolutely euphoric and wanted nothing to subdue such a feeling, not even his bickering siblings. The thought as to why he suddenly felt so elated had yet to cross his sleep fogged mind. 

Ichiru starred at his brother's pale back in amusement before he jumped onto the bed. "Wake up asshole, you've slept for two days straight and we're running out of excuses to cover for your ass." 

Yuuki's big brown eyes widened as she tugged at the youngest twin's arm in a vain attempt to pull him off of their injured brother. "Ichiru! Come on, he's injured." 

"S'okay, I'm up, I'm up." Carefully, Zero sat up causing the sheets to pool around his naked waist. He was completely oblivious to Yuuki's flushed gaze. 

Ichiru grinned, he'd noticed. "You might wanna cover up Ro before Yuuki's nose starts to bleed." 

"Ichiru!" Yuuki swatted his shoulder, her flush darkening despite her efforts. 

Zero ignored their bickering yet again as he ran a hand through his thick silver hair and groaned- he felt lightheaded now that all of his senses had finally caught up with him. Everything seemed so vivid, from his sight to his sense of smell, and he didn't know at the moment if he liked or loathed this newfound increase in his five senses. Perhaps it was only a side effect of… amethyst eyes set ablaze with fury narrowed. 

"Where is he?" Zero's words dripped with venom as he glanced around his room, dully noting that it was still daylight outside. 

Ichiru and Yuuki exchanged looks as their brother's face darkened. "Don't sound so jaded after Ken did something like this for you, you jackass. He's risking a lot you know." Ichiru didn't understand why Zero harped on Kaname every time the guy did something nice for them. Was a thank you really that hard to dish out? 

Yuuki wrung her hands nervously, she could already see where this was going. "Don't be ungrateful Zero. You should go thank Kaname-sempai for saving your life." 

Zero bristled. "Saving my life? Is that what you think he did?" 

Quickly, he stood from his bed, modesty shot right out of the window as he walked over to his dresser and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He was in no mood to appease Yuuki or Ichiru by listening to their ramblings of how great their version of Kaname Kuran was. He attempted to think back to that night, the one he'd been forced to feed from the disgusting pureblood he detested nearly as much as his maker and found that he could remember next to nothing. Zero paused, his face reddening with indignation as he entertained the idea of the bastard manipulating his mind while he was in such a weakened state. 

"Ro, calm down. It's not a big-" 

Zero rounded on Ichiru and took a deep breath reminding himself that he was not mad at the two people in his room with him. "I'm calm. I just have a few questions for Kuran, that's all. Go grab some lunch and I'll catch up with you later." 

Ichiru and Yuuki sat on the bed watching as Zero left his room closing the door behind him. Again, they glanced at each other nervously. 

A soft snort fell from Ichiru's lips as a smile etched itself onto his face. "You know, he wouldn't be so wound up if he got laid half as much as I do." The youngest twin knew how much it irritated and rattled Yuuki when he so casually discussed the topic of sex because she was a prude- a fact in which he was very proud to know despite his teasing. Nevertheless, bringing up such a topic was the only way he'd be able to remove the deep seeded concern he knew she had coiling in the pit of her stomach. 

"Ichiru! What did I tell you about…" 

Ichiru sighed and he resigned himself to a good scolding as that anxiety Yuuki could have had tightly wrapped about the core of his stomach. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

Zero stalked into the moon dorms with an irritated scowl set upon his gorgeous face as he spotted several nobles lounging off to his left in the lavish commons. They all glared in his direction, several of them rising upon his actual entrance into their surrogate home. They had not thought him bold enough to enter the lion's den alone and unarmed. Zero paused as he reached the staircase, swiftly turning around as he felt several vampires approaching him from behind. His right hand immediately reached for where his gun should've been and he was sorely disappointed that he'd forgotten it due to his anger induced haste. 

_Fuck…_ Zero mentally swore as he prepared to simply cast charms in place of using his gun because it didn't look like the nobles were going to back down and he'd be damned if they got in the way of his confrontation with the pureblooded prince. 

"Kiryuu-kun?" All eyes glanced to the top of the staircase where Takuma Ichijo stood blinking tiredly. 

Zero glanced over the group one last time and noted that they all seemed to back away now that the assistant dorm leader was there to possibly "handle" him. He didn't care either way as he simply directed his glare at Takuma and made his way up the stairs pausing briefly to mutter "Ichijo" in greeting. 

"His rooms are to the left Kiryuu-kun." Takuma's smirk was smothered as he released a small yawn, his green eyes betraying how he truly felt as he watched Zero walk in the direction of their leader's chambers. 

It was not going to be his fault when Zero burst into Kaname's rooms considering the prince had specifically stated that, if Zero were to show up, he simply wanted all of them to point the Hunter in the direction of his rooms. Of course, they all wanted to adamantly refuse such a request but could do nothing more than agree and begrudgingly promise to let the arrogant ex-human do as he pleased. They all had an inkling as to why Kaname was planning to allow the Hunter into his chambers but could not so much as question the prince on even his sudden change of heart where the boy was concerned. 

Then again, the odd behavior began the night they all scented Kaname's blood, though it was faint, it was there nonetheless. And prior to encountering the luscious scent, Takuma and Senri had distinctly heard Yuuki belaying her qualms over Zero's health. Those closest to Kaname knew that, where the pureblood was concerned, the Kiryuu's and the Cross' were generally the focal point of his attention. 

Takuma sighed as Zero disappeared behind the doors that led to Kaname's quarters and when they shut he began to walk down the steps. Then a thought struck the assistant dorm leader that made him outright laugh as the images of what was to come flooded his mind. He'd forgotten to tell the hunter that the dorm leader was entertaining _guest_ in his quarters at that very moment and he wanted so badly to see the look upon Zero's face as he intruded upon such a scene. But no one would enjoy it more than Kaname himself and Ichijo felt relieved in such a thought. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

Zero's acute sense of hearing picked up on the sounds coming from what he assumed was the bedroom and he didn't care. The pureblood could've been fucking the president of America himself and Zero wouldn't have bat an eyelash. Blood… It was thick in the air and the hunter had to assume that Kaname's living quarters had some kind of seal on them to prevent such a smell from flooding the halls outside of his room. He didn't pause for a second as he finally reached what he was now positive was Kaname's bedroom. Zero pushed the doors open, his eyes locking on the erotic display as three sets of vermillion eyes met his own. They did not bother to refrain from continuing such a lewd activity despite the addition of an onlooker- an unwanted one no less. 

Suffice to say, Zero had never seen anything like what was in front of him at that very moment. 

Kaname stood at the side of his bed, his cock buried deep inside of the quivering body posed on all fours in front of him. Another body half hidden amongst dark sheets lay beneath the head of the vampire Kaname was steadily plunging into. Zero was revolted to see that that particular creature was withering in ecstasy as the beast posed above _fed_ from its inner thigh. He noticed with barely concealed shock that they were _all_ covered in blood and the room was practically drenched with the invigorating stench- among others. 

The side of Zero Kiryuu that belonged to the Hunters knew that vampires were beast, knew that they operated solely on a pleasure principle that did not follow the same guidelines as that of a human's. It was that side of Zero that was disgusted and mortified at the sight that lay bare before him. The part of him that grudgingly belonged to the bloodsucking fiends egged him to join the frenzied orgy. That convoluted piece of him was what caused his eyes to dilate and shift to crimson as his pulse quickened, his fist clenching at his sides. He was as appalled with himself as he was with what he saw. When his eyes met Kaname's mirth filled cinnabar pools that were seemingly mocking him, he was reminded of why he'd brought himself to the pureblood's room. Summoning every ounce of anger and displeasure he could, Zero shut his mouth and willed away any form of lust he'd dared to feel. 

Apparently, Kaname had noticed the change in the hunter's demeanor and he stopped all movement causing his partners to groan in protest. They knew better than to move after their lord stopped so they waited to either be regretfully dismissed or fucked into blind submission in front of their annoying intruder. And they'd had a feeling that it would be the former. Kaname dismissed them as he removed himself from the heated hole he'd been positioned in and he did not miss the way Zero's maroon eyes darted over his exposed physique before meeting his gaze once again. 

Zero didn't deign to watch as the two picked up the articles of clothing that belonged to them before exiting the room at a speed he wouldn't have been able to follow at the moment. 

He and Kaname were alone now. 

Zero observed as the pureblood carefully pulled on a robe, which did nothing more than cover his cock. The blood that stained the ivory flesh around his mouth and down his torso was still visible. The sight alone pulled at Zero's bestial side, a side that was obstinately encouraging him to walk over to the animal near the bed and lick him clean… amethyst eyes blinked as Kaname began to move away from the bed and towards a door not far from it. 

"Can you reign in your explosive attitude long enough for me to shower or shall we have at it as I am now?" A delicate hand swept outward as Kaname's dark gaze remained locked with Zero's. 

"Make it quick. I'll be in your living room." Zero turned his back on the predator behind him and stalked out of the nauseating room all the while cursing all vampires for their sick fetishes. 

Had he waited a moment longer, he wouldn't have missed the amused smirk that settled upon Kaname's face. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

"You're one sick motherfucker, Kuran." Zero's violet eyes glared in Kaname's direction as the pureblood entered his living room. 

"I'll have you know, I've never treaded upon those already shallow waters despite what puberty encouraged me to do." A small smirk tugged at Kaname's lips. 

Zero growled in frustration as his glare intensified. "Fucking disgusting… what if it wasn't me who walked in on- on _that_ but instead Ichiru? Or even Yuuki?" 

Kaname's face darkened. "Good thing it was you then." He didn't bother to mention that both Yuuki and Ichiru would've been distracted long before they were allowed to enter his quarters. He wouldn't dare let them see that side of him. He also chose not to tell the Hunter that he'd intended for him to walk in on him. He wanted Zero to get well acquainted with what he was- a vampire- even if he had to shove the idea down the boy's throat. "I do believe the only reason you find us, your own kind, so intolerable is because you do not understand our ways but in time, you shall learn." 

Zero eyed the pureblood who had so innocently seated himself on the couch opposite of him. "I am not and will never be one of _you_." 

Kaname pinched the bridge of his nose in stark irritation. He did not feel the need to rehash their age old argument. Choosing to be the bigger man, he decided to change the subject entirely. "Why are you here Kiryuu? It certainly isn't to argue with me over my personal habits." 

Zero gritted his teeth, biting back the venomous reply he'd had lined up for the pureblood in favor of quickly asking his questions and removing himself from the room. "What the hell did you do to me last night?" 

There were many scathing and taunting replies that Kaname wanted to hurl at Zero but he settled for the truth. He knew that would rile the boy far more than anything else. "I fed you and you were rather eager to feed once I gave you some encouragement." He wanted nothing more than to outright guffaw at the stricken look that now possessed Zero's delicate face. 

Zero stood from the couch, his face blank as his steely lilac eyes settled on the pureblood. "Listen well Kuran because I won't repeat myself. Stay the fuck away from me or I will kill you. I don't care about what Yuuki or Ichiru have asked you to do for me because I want absolutely _nothing_ from _you_." 

"Because you'd rather become lesser than the filth you take me as only to be hunted down by those so called comrades you've sworn your pathetic life to? Such a befitting end for the likes of _you_." The controlled anger that bubbled beneath the surface of Kaname's every word was not missed on Zero's part. 

"Anything is better than drinking your blood." _Even death_ … were the unspoken words that hung in the air as a tense silence settled about the room. 

For Zero, drinking from anyone was a sign of weakness, a blatant show of his loss in control over the beast that resided within. He hated Kaname for being able to draw such a thing out of him without so much as a thought. Zero wasn't exactly keen on what occurred the night he'd fed from the pureblood but he was positive that he'd lost control of himself. He'd let that carnal instinct that belonged to his vampire self consume him and it took control- snatched at the rare chance to have it. And of all the beings he'd ever want to show that despicable piece of himself to, Kaname was the last. He couldn't afford to make such a mistake again. 

Zero sighed, his hardened gaze wavering only slightly as he prepared to leave. "Do us both a favor and don't give me a reason to shoot you." Zero was nearly at the door when he was stopped by a force he had no control over. He was turned around, his eyes meeting Kaname's as he silently promised the man to make good on his earlier threat. 

But Kaname's gaze was conical and unwavering as he forced Zero to look at him. "Are you honestly willing to forsake yourself simply to spite me and my use for you? Have you not thought of the devastation that would befall both Yuuki and Ichiru were you to simply perish? I could care less for you, Kiryuu, make no mistake about that, but to those two you are the world. I want you to think about this. I've forsaken my pride on account of the feelings I hold for them and I'd once thought that you had similar priorities when it came to those two… perhaps I was wrong. If I was not mistaken, then this time two weeks from now you will come to my quarters in order to feed and if you do not, you can worry over your death alone." With that, Kaname sent Zero flying from his chambers. He'd had enough of the infuriating boy for one night. 

Zero glanced up from his position sprawled on the floor as he watched Kaname's doors slam shut in his face. As dignified and composed as Zero could, and cursing the pureblood in his mind all the while, he made his way out of the Moon Dorms. He ignored the amused glances that were thrown his way as he did so. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

"C'mon…" Yuuki groaned as she glared at Ichiru. He was supposed to be helping her keep the Day class students at bay, not flirting with them. 

Ichiru winked at the group closest to him and smiled as they all flushed and began to giggle amongst themselves. "Someone has to make up for the ice bastard standing over there glaring everyone into submission." Ichiru's face fell into a worried grimace as he glanced toward where his brother stood. 

Zero had been on edge since his visit with Kaname, which more or less likely meant that the two had had a disagreement- to put it lightly. It was nothing that Ichiru wasn't used to considering Kaname and Zero hadn't gotten along from day one based on one fact: Kaname Kuran was a pureblood vampire. It was no wonder things continued to remain the same. Still, he had never faulted his elder brother's disdain for vampires due to the circumstance that embedded such a hate into a generally caring and gentle soul. Had he been in Zero's place, perhaps he'd feel the same. 

When they were merely seven years of age, a pureblood came to their home in the dead of night and slaughtered their parents. Had Ichiru not been ill, perhaps he would've been killed as well or placed in the same predicament as his brother. He remembered the gorgeous woman staring down at Zero who held no fear in his eyes as he'd defiantly stared back at her. The woman had smiled and told them that she couldn't possibly destroy such a rare treat and instead, she would mark Zero and gather him at a later time. She'd left him in a pool of his own blood, curious to see if he'd survive in order to be collected by her in the distant future. After the pureblood kissed Ichiru's forehead and told the nearly unconscious Zero who to wait for, she vanished. 

Her name was Shizuka Hiou. 

The memory of the event reminded Ichiru that Zero had every right in the world to be weary of the creatures and it reminded him of why he'd never asked his elder brother to feel otherwise. Except for when it came to Kaname. Kaname had found them two days after the event and he'd brought them to the home of Kaien Cross. He'd carried both Ichiru and Zero the long distance to Cross' home without so much as being tempted to drink from them and if he was, Ichiru hadn't noticed. Kaname had done everything in his power to care for them as he cared for Yuuki and spared no expense in their name. Ichiru was beyond grateful and if only Zero could be a little more thankful for the second chance he'd been given at life… 

"Maybe he's getting hungry…" 

Ichiru shook his head and glanced at Yuuki. "What?" 

"Kaname-sempai said that Zero would need to _eat_ something in two weeks time and it's almost the end of those two weeks." 

"You're right… we'll ask him about it later." Ichiru noticed the gates to the Moon Dorms opening and he sighed. It was time to get to work. "The Night Class is about to come out Yuu so look alive and be firm. You're too soft on these people." 

Ichiru smiled as the Night Class stepped out of the gates. He watched as Aido spoke sweet nothings to the Day Class, he watched as Kain followed silently behind his ward, and he watched as Aido teased Yuuki before moving on. His amethyst eyes lit up as he nodded in Kaname's direction not surprised as the pureblood genuinely smiled back before fondly petting Yuuki's head. What surprised Ichiru was when Kaname briefly stopped in front of his twin, lips moving quickly before he continued to walk onward without a backwards glance. 

It was as though he'd never paused in step. 

Ichiru could see that Zero had tensed, his shoulders squaring and his eyes becoming violet slits- his twin was pissed. Ichiru sighed. He had a feeling that it was going to be harder to ask Zero about his feeding issues than it would be to stave a vampire away from blood. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

Zero smiled to himself as he slipped past the crowd of dispersing Night Class fans and into the lush forest that intertwined with Cross Academy. He'd overheard Ichiru's and Yuuki's conversation regardless of their attempts at masking it from him. Perhaps they had forgotten that, despite his adversity towards what he was, Zero was still part vampire and an increase in his hearing capabilities came with the package. They were always worried over him, over things that were far out of their control when it came to Zero, and that knowledge warmed his heart. He knew that they wanted to solve all of his problems for him, that they wanted to help him and listen when he couldn't handle things on his own, and he loved them for it. But they truly could not help him with this problem and even knowing that he grew angry. 

He'd put effort into not taking his frustrations out on his family because they deserved so much more than his turmoil spilling over onto them. Zero had done everything in his power to keep his emotions bottled within himself and directed at Kaname Kuran but as the days drew closer to Kaname's proposed date he'd became more agitated. He didn't understand why it seemed as though the pureblood was right as the days sped by? 

Zero growled in irritation. He was borderline starving and, try as he might, nothing was quenching the desire for him to feed and he wouldn't dare go ask Yuuki or Ichiru to feed him again. But he might have to… He was beginning to follow the pulse and heartbeats of his classmates and those enticing rhythms tended to lure him into a blood lusting trance that Ichiru or Yuuki had to promptly snap him out. There was so much temptation and it was becoming next to unbearable to be in the same room as anything with a fluctuating pulse. Zero hated himself for allowing such a bestial yearning to occur but he couldn't help it. He'd thought he'd be able to manage his cravings, he'd thought he'd be able to bear the weight of his curse alone, but he was starting to lose sight of himself. 

Kaname had been right about one thing: Zero was slowly being ruled by his vampire self. 

He was turning into a Level-E vampire. 

Zero stopped walking as he reached the small lake he had so eagerly sought out and he sat before the calming pool. His thoughts went back to his last conversation with Kaname. His mind had replayed and dissected the conversation for nearly two weeks now and his options were always the same. If he wanted to watch Yuuki and Ichiru grow up happily, if he wanted to avenge his family name, he needed to live. Zero knew that he was going to regret what he was sacrificing to survive but it was all for a good cause. He had more reason to strive for life than death at this moment and he was willing to sacrifice all that he needed to in order to do so. 

"Kiryuu, your decision." 

Zero didn't bother moving from his spot nor did he bother to glance behind him. "I want you to know that I don't like this anymore than you, Kuran." 

A slow smile spread across Kaname's gorgeous face. "I wouldn't have it any other way." 

* * *

****

**TBC**

* * *

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I really hate how stories water down the concept of the "vampire". I didn't want to do that. I wanted to get at what I think is the essence of a vampire. Let's see how I do with that!
> 
> If you dig it, drop me a line or hit that Kudos button!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which: Kaname and Zero try to come to terms with their "arrangement". Plus, Ichiru... he deserves a warning of his own.

Kaname slid out of his uniform jacket and neatly folded it across a chair in his living room. Nimble fingers loosened the knot of the tie about his neck and that too was placed neatly atop his blazer. Brown eyes glanced at the young man standing in front of the main doors as if the room would devour him once he took another step. "Would you prefer to feed first or discuss our arrangement? It is up to you." 

Zero shifted from balancing on his right foot to his left as he casually leaned against the door behind him. "I don't think I'll remember anything if I were to- to _feed_ first." Zero resisted the urge to scowl as the words fell from his mouth. 

"Very well, please have a seat." Kaname's dark eyes lit with amusement as Zero cautiously seated himself on one of the lavish couches in front of his fireplace. "Would you like something to drink, perhaps something to eat besides the necessary?" 

"No thanks." In all honesty, Zero wanted to finish what he'd been brought to Kaname's rooms to do and leave as soon as he could. He was not going to speak more than he needed to and he wasn't going to linger. 

Kaname sighed as he sat opposite of Zero. He knew it was going to take Zero some time to warm up to the idea of their business arrangement and Kaname had to remind himself that it would be quite a while before that happened. Zero was no ordinary vampire after all. But Kaname was growing impatient as it was. Two weeks. It'd been two weeks since Zero fed from him and it'd been two weeks of yearning for the boy to do so again. Kaname wanted so badly to feel the raw desire he'd felt when those greedy lips closed over his pulse and sharp teeth sank into his neck. He wanted to feel that excitement, smell the aroma of his blood and their joint arousal wafting through the air as a hungry mouth savagely drank from him with no regard as to whether or not Kaname was in pain. Being bitten… it had been the most erotic activity Kaname had ever partaken in and no form of sex had even been involved. 

Kaname had attempted to recreate such eroticism and had failed miserably. 

The evening Zero confronted him, catching him in the midst of a gore induced tryst with two nobles he'd easily coaxed into his bedroom, had only been the first of many like it. Kaname participated in a slew of sexual endeavors since Zero had fed from him and none had wrought his body with such conation as the feeling of allowing another to drink from him. His mind was always drawn back to that night when it was preoccupied with nothing else and Kaname knew that he needed to be careful for the memory roused a carnal desire deep inside of him that longed to be unleashed. He was tempted to allow another- one he had not previously tasted- to drink from him in hopes that it would quash the ungodly need inside of him to be bitten again for the sole purpose of pleasure. Of course, the thought in itself was ludicrous for any sane vampire would take advantage of such a situation and they would surely attempt to drain him. 

Zero was different. He did not want Kaname's blood, abhorred the idea of drinking it entirely, thus he would not be a hassle to stop were he to ask him to. This was both a blessing and a curse from Kaname's point of view. The blessing stemmed from the fact that Zero held no desire to drink his blood of his own volition. Zero also would not take advantage of him whilst he was in such a vulnerable position. The curse, however, was that they could not fully enjoy themselves as Zero fed considering the entire ordeal was normally a sensual one and without sexual gratification on either end… well, it was going to make the process all the more unbearable. Had the Hunter held an ounce of fondness towards Kaname, they could've participated in possibly one of the greatest sexual experiences either of them had ever partaken in. 

"How long?" 

Kaname blinked, his eyes refocusing on the young man across from him and willing those ideas from his head until a later time. "Pardon?" 

"How long am I prolonging my life by doing _this_?" Zero waved his hand between the two of them as he stared at the vampire. 

"A few months, years, decades, centuries perhaps… it has always varied when the ex-human has not drunken the blood of their maker and are instead taking that of a substitute. Considering that your substitute is another pureblood, perhaps your life will prosper for a couple of centuries or so." Brown pools swirled with curiosity as Zero sighed and leaned deeply into the cushions of the couch. 

"And how long must I drink from you?" Zero felt defeated at this point. 

Kaname noted the change in Zero's demeanor and knew that the words that next left his mouth would perhaps perk the boy up. "Every time you feel a sliver of hunger, I want you to immediately come to me. Until we find Shizuka Hiou, you will have to make do with me." 

"Wait, what do you mean ' _until we find Shizuka Hiou_ '?" Amethyst eyes widened as the Hunter's posture straightened and all of his attention was centered on the pureblood across from him. 

"Years ago, Ichiru told me of how it was you became an ex-human and ever since I've kept my ears open when it comes to information pertaining to her. No one has heard anything about Shizuka Hiou in a little over a decade now or rather, since the incident with your family. In light of recent events, I've appointed a team who are dedicated to finding out where she is and they are to report any information that they receive directly to me. If we are able to locate Shizuka, I will do all that I can to obtain her and free you from her curse." 

Zero stared at Kaname, studying the brunet in attempts to discover what the price for all of the man's kindness was going to be. There was always bound to be a price. "Why are you doing this?" 

"Because Yuuki and Ichiru want me to do so and I've never been known to refuse a request from either of them." Kaname wanted to say that, once upon a time ago, Zero could've been in their position, could've commanded that Kaname parted the sea for him and the pureblood would've tried with all he had in him to do just that, but he mentioned no such thing. 

"I see…" Zero's amethyst gaze met Kaname's with a renewed determination and warmth that had not been present previously. "Thank you." 

Zero knew that Kaname wasn't helping him of his own accord but he was still helping him despite all of their spats, disagreements, and various other issues. He knew that the vampire could've been wasting his time elsewhere but he wasn't. Kaname had resolved himself to the whims of two children in order to cooperate with a lowly ex-human for nothing in return. If nothing else, Zero had to be somewhat grateful. 

Kaname was stunned by the gratitude Zero was bestowing upon him. He was floored. He hadn't expected the Hunter to so much as utter anything that likely resembled thanks and here he'd done just that in spite of being told that he was practically being aided under coercion. Kaname withheld a smile as he thought of a conversation he'd had with Yuuki after one of his usual disagreements with the stubborn Zero Kiryuu. She'd told him that the boy was gentle, polite, kind even, but it took quite some time to get him to open up and trust those around him. For as strong as Zero appeared to be on the outside, he was rather fragile and delicate within. 

To Kaname, Zero's politeness always seemed like biting sarcasm, his cold and aloof attitude came off as condescending arrogance, and his eyes always held a defiance that irritated Kaname more than anything else. Perhaps he'd been mistaken. Perhaps Zero had been genuine in his gratitude when he was younger, when Kaname had saved what little of him he could. If that were the case, Kaname knew that he was the one to blame for their rather strained relationship. He hoped that that was not the case because it would mean he'd ruined a golden opportunity to change that child's misconstrued outlook on vampires. Even worse, how Zero viewed both Kaname and himself. 

"You are very welcomed Kiryuu." A sigh fell from soft lips as Kaname began to unbutton and remove his shirt. He could see that Zero was hungry and he himself was now tired of talking. He had much to consider and he wanted to ask Zero even more but they had plenty of time. "Would you like me to make this easy for you as I did the last time or are you willing to bite me of your own accord?" And Kaname could not suppress his smirk as Zero bristled and began to remove his uniform jacket in the same fashion as Kaname had done earlier. 

"Please don't remind me." 

Kaname chuckled as he watched Zero expose his delicious ivory collar and he allowed himself to believe that he was simply admiring the quickened pulse beneath that flawless flesh. "Ah, then you truly did not forget the events of your last feeding." 

Zero's cheeks dusted a light pink as he mulled over Kaname's words. "Can you stop calling it that? You make it sound like I'm taking fucking milk from your breast." Zero was already uncomfortable as it was considering they were both half naked and- naked… 

Zero's memory flashed back to the previous time he'd been in Kaname's chambers and had bared witness to Kaname Kuran fucking and feeding all at once whilst Zero stood a mere yard or so away from his bed. Zero's cheeks darkened and his pulse quickened. That had been both a gorgeous and disgusting moment to witness and Zero had nearly forgotten it altogether in light of his anger but now… now the memories were as fresh in his mind as if he'd watched the entire ordeal only moments ago. 

His practical and bestial sides were waging war. 

One was attempting to tell him that what he'd saw Kaname and the other vampires doing was far beyond the realm of revulsion. The other wanted him to beg and bend to Kaname's every will if only to be placed in the same, if not a better, position as the two vampires before him. 

"What would you have me call it then? Dinner time?" Kaname's eyes darkened as he caught wind of Zero's arousal. It wasn't strong but it was there nonetheless, which meant the boys animalistic instincts were finally breaking down the already thin barrier that separated the Hunter from the vampire. It was a pity Zero never simply embraced such impulses and allowed them to enjoy the feeding process to its fullest potential. 

"Anything but _feeding_ … I think you should get us started until I get the hang of this." Zero shed his shirt and stood up. His eyes were slowly fading to vermillion with anticipation. 

"As you wish." Kaname's elongated pointer finger dug into the tender flesh where Zero's previous bite wound would have been and he was not surprised by the speed at which the ex-human mounted him and began to feed. 

Kaname shuddered as Zero's tongue lapped at his fingers leaving not an ounce of blood on the slender digits. His eyes fluttered shut as Zero's fangs finally sank into the thundering pulse beneath his porcelain skin and he couldn't resist tangling his fingers in the Hunter's platinum hair to push his head closer. A guttural groan rose from Kaname's throat as he wrapped his free hand around Zero's waist in attempts to pull the boy closer. It was there again, that mind shattering appetency that drove his repressed bestial urges insane and he found that he rather liked it. 

He wanted so badly to bite into the luscious flesh of Zero's neck while the Hunter in turn bit him. He wanted to fuck the quivering, gluttonous, body atop his as they shared and traded blood in one of the most intimate of moments any two vampires could possibly share. Kaname wanted to relinquish his hold over his restraint, to unleash the side of himself that he was able to indulge in when outside of the academy or during one of his sexual encounters within but that was not an option. Zero would never forgive him if he were to take advantage of the boy while in this situation. Kaname knew that Zero wasn't in control of his actions, knew that the Hunter wasn't able to exercise control of his being because feeding- from a pureblood no less- was an entirely new experience to him. One of them had to exercise a semblance of discipline and being that Kaname was the only one able to at this point… 

Kaname's red eyes widened and he cursed as Zero's hips began to move against his own. It appeared as though the side of Zero that belonged to his desires had not forgotten about the way it felt when he'd ground into the prone body beneath him the last time. Kaname tried to grasp those thin hips and pull the boy to a stop but Zero was quicker because Kaname could not concentrate while he was being both fed from and aroused all at once. Zero held Kaname's wrist in an iron clad grip as he carefully pulled his mouth away from the delicious red nectar gushing from a tender neck. 

Two sets of crimson eyes met and Kaname's breath caught in his throat as he glanced over the gorgeous young man seated in his lap. Blood stained Zero's mouth, cascaded down his smooth ivory chest, and dipped below the waistband of his pants because he was new at this and did not know how to drink carefully. At the mere thought of the boy chewing his flesh versus sucking it, Kaname's cock twitched. The smell of his blood and both of their arousals was thick in the air and it was slowly tearing away at his resolve to do nothing more than allow Zero to drink from him. The Hunter surely noticed this, was aware of the sensual atmosphere they'd unintentionally created, for he began to move again slowly grinding his cloth covered erection into Kaname's own. 

Slowly but surely, Kaname's mind was clouding over with a thick impermeable lust that was giving way to his instincts and the little bit of logic he had left was calling for him to quickly put an end to Zero's actions, to his own actions, because there would be no point of return if he crossed that line. Zero would never forgive him. Yuuki and Ichiru would never forgive him for failing at the simple task they'd requested of him. Worst of all, Kaname would never be able to forgive himself if he let an ex-human coax him into throwing away his morals on such a whim. With those sobering thoughts, Kaname used every bit of strength he had left in him and pulled Zero from his lap. The Hunter whined at the loss of contact and his body contorted with unrestrained hunger as his crimson eyes practically begged Kaname to release him and allow them to continue from where they left off. And Kaname wanted so badly to give in but he could not. He stood instead, his mind pulling Zero towards the bathroom with him. 

"Perhaps a cold shower will stir us both from this delusion." Kaname dropped Zero into his bathtub as gently as he could will himself to and he sat on the edge. Without glancing at Zero, he turned the water to a freezing temperature and he released his hold. 

Zero gasped as the cold liquid hit his body and woke him from whatever daze he'd previously been in. His amethyst eyes met Kaname's amused mahogany gaze as he glowered and sat up right wincing as he was reminded of the cold. A pale hand slid through silver tresses as Zero tried to recall how he ended up in the bathtub in the first place. It was just like the first time he'd drank Kaname's blood, he couldn't remember anything after he'd told the pureblood to feed him. And just like that first time, he felt renewed and stronger than he'd felt in- well, since he'd last fed. 

"What the fuck am I doing in your bathtub?" There were many questions that Zero wanted to ask but he was willing to settle for something as simple as the obvious for now. 

"You'd finished eating and I could think of no other way to shake you from your lingering bloodlust. How do you feel?" He hadn't gotten the chance to ask Zero that question after their previous rendezvous for evident reasons and now was a better time than any. 

Zero shook his head and allowed himself to sink into the cold water filling the tub. It wasn't as bad as he'd assumed it was after the initial shock subsided. That, and he felt both invincible and fragile. "I feel like shit." 

Kaname smiled as his gaze followed the pink swirl that was forming in the tub, the water devouring the remnants of his blood from Zero's body. "Don't worry, that feeling should subside as you become accustomed to drinking from me. With that, you will also become more cognitively aware of the process. The only reason your logic shuts down now is because your pure instincts take over the moment the potent stench of my blood touches the air. I believe when we next meet, you'll be a little more aware of all that is occurring." 

Zero didn't like the way Kaname's eyes glinted as those words left his mouth, however, he chose to ignore it in favor of asking his next question. "Why do I feel so strong?" 

"Every time I allow you to drink from me, I'm allowing you to absorb my power. Your body attempts to place the foreign energy boost somewhere within you and until it sorts that out, you'll feel overwhelmingly strong. Soon, it will even itself out and you won't be able to gain any more strength than necessary so don't worry yourself over it." 

Zero's brow creased as he glanced over himself. "What about you? Am I- am I hurting you?" Zero couldn't bring himself to meet the pureblood's gaze. Regardless of the animosities they held for each other, he didn't wish to hurt Kaname when the man was doing something as kind as this for him. 

Kaname smiled fondly at the blushing boy seated in his tub. For the second time that night he'd been shocked by something the Hunter said to him and again he felt as though he'd missed out on an opportune friendship. "No Zero, you are not hurting me. Whatever energy you take from me is quickly replaced. You could say that I have a surplus and by allowing you to take some it relieves me." 

Zero had noticed that the pureblood had called him by his first name, which was something he hadn't done since Zero was younger. He was going to assume that it was an accident on Kaname's part and simply move forward because the pureblood had no reason to treat him nicely of his own concurrence. "Oh... Alright." 

"Well then, I'll leave you to bathe." Kaname stood from the edge of the bathtub. "I'll put out something for you to wear and I'll leave it in the bedroom. Have a good night Zero." Kaname turned and began to walk from the bathroom, a smirk pulling at his gorgeous face as he felt Zero's eyes follow his retreating back. 

  


* * *

* * *

  


Zero glanced at his clock as he entered his dorm room and noted that it was a little past midnight. He sighed and leaned heavily against his front door and in doing so Kaname's distinct smell assaulted his nose. He'd have to return the garments when he was done with them. Zero had wanted to thank the pureblood one last time before he left his room, however, Kaname was nowhere in sight when he exited the bathroom. He'd almost felt dejected when he realized Kaname hadn't waited for him but then it dawned on him that the vampire trusted him enough to leave him in his room without so much as a backwards glance. Zero didn't exactly know why he'd felt flattered at that revelation but he had and he'd left the room feeling rather light. 

"Ro?" 

Amethyst eyes brightened as Zero walked towards his bed not bothering to turn on a light. "Ichiru? Shouldn't you be out? You always leave for town Friday night and I usually don't see you again until Sunday morning." 

Ichiru yawned and buried himself deeper in Zero's covers. "Yea, well… I wanted to make sure you were okay considering you ditched me and Yuu after we finished our prefect duties. You've been kind of a dick lately but I get it. I can practically feel everything you feel when you feel it and I can't believe you forgot about that. We are twins Zero and I know when you're hurting." Ichiru moved over pressing his back into the wall to make room for his brother. "Come lay down and talk to me." 

Zero eyed his younger brother wearily and contemplated lying beside him. If Ichiru was in his room then he was serious about talking and nothing Zero could say would convince him to do otherwise. "Fine." As he pulled off the T-shirt and jeans Kaname leant to him he remembered his surprise when he'd spotted the articles of clothing. He'd never even thought the pureblood owned anything of the sort. 

"You smell like Ken… Are those his clothes?" Ichiru smirked as he glanced at the clothes on the floor. They were name brand and he knew Zero wouldn't waste his time or money on such things. "Did you two fuck?" Ichiru raised an eyebrow and his smirk broadened as Zero flushed red. 

"No! Why would you- What kind of- just… no! What the hell kind of a question is that?" Zero seated himself at the edge of the bed and frowned. 

He hated how casually Ichiru referred to sex. 

Zero wasn't virginal but he believed such affairs were private. Furthermore, of all the things his brother could've suggested that he'd done with Kaname, sleeping with the pureblood was the last possible thing that should've crossed Ichiru's mind. Or maybe not considering the boy's thoughts always seemed to focus around the topic of sex. Still… Zero knew such a thing would never occur on the basis that he and Kaname barely liked one another and they were both male. He couldn't even imagine how sex between two men worked. 

"What do you mean ' _what kind of a question is that_ '? Ken's hot and just because you guys don't necessarily like each other it doesn't mean that you can't fuck around. Unless you're appalled by the idea of fucking another guy in which case I can tell you, it's not bad at all." Ichiru couldn't stop the grin from setting upon his gorgeous face as Zero's blush darkened and his twin's violet depths widened. 

Zero eyed Ichiru, their identical lilac eyes meeting, and he realized that his brother was being absolutely serious despite his playful tone. "When did you-" 

"A long time ago. Guy, girl, it doesn't matter to me how I get my kicks off." He shook his head as he thought about how naïve his brother could be. "I asked Kaname about it once, you know, if vampires care about gender seeing as they're all pleasure fiends as it is and he said no- which I knew he would. He told me that not even family members are off limits in their world…" Ichiru's grin morphed into a seductive leer as he let his gaze roam over his brother's body appreciatively. "If you want Ro, I could show you how it's done, how two guys can get lost in each other." They'd done things that touched the border of more than just brotherly affection over the years and Ichiru didn't see what harm it would do to simply jump over that line entirely. 

Zero's pulse quickened, his eyes flickering between crimson and pale purple as he shifted to gaze down at Ichiru. Again, he was surprised to see that his brother was serious. "I thought you wanted to talk…" He spoke the words carefully, softly, as he lay on his side to face his doppelganger. There were many things he allowed himself and Ichiru to do, things that tested his sanity and blurred the boundaries of their relationship, but having sex… he couldn't- they couldn't. 

"Suit yourself. Just know that the option is always there." Ichiru sighed and moved a little closer to Zero. "Did you eat enough tonight?" 

"Yea. Kuran is- he's very generous." 

Ichiru snorted and began to play with Zero's hair. "Ken has always been nice but you wouldn't know that because you never gave him a chance. I know you guys butt heads because you're both arrogant and stubborn but I think there's still a chance for you to be something. Not quite friends but not enemies anymore either. Maybe all of this feeding shit will give you guys a chance to get closer." Ichiru remembered learning about the task of feeding during one of their lessons when they were younger and from what he could remember, it all sounded rather intimate to him. 

"Why do you care so much? Why do you, Yuuki, and Cross push so hard for us to get along?" Zero had never asked them why, he'd simply assumed that it was because they thought he owed Kaname something for rescuing him all those years. In reality, Zero thought it was the least the bastard could've done considering _his kind_ had placed him in such a predicament. 

Ichiru stopped playing with Zero's hair and simply stared at his brother as he searched his mind for an answer and quickly found one that he felt was satisfying enough. "I can't speak for Yuuki or Cross but…" Ichiru's smile was dazzling as he placed his forehead against Zero's. "I know that I love you more than anyone else in this world and I love Kaname in my own way. For as much as I care about the both of you I know you both love me the same, if not more, which is why I'd like for the two of you to get along." Ichiru threaded his fingers through Zero's silky tresses. "I know we were bread to dislike vampires, to tread carefully around their kind and to never trust a word that leaves their mouth, but you have to believe that Kaname is different. He could've left us there to die Zero, he could've drained every drop of blood from our bodies and no one would've been the wiser, hell, he could've done a lot of fucked up shit that we'd heard about vampires of his status doing. But he did none of those things." 

Pale violet eyes glanced into similar pools of lilac as Ichiru continued. "He saved us Zero. He stopped whatever the hell it was he was doing at the time and he came into our home to make sure that we survived when the entire time it ate away at him. I watched Ken struggle, his eyes constantly changing from crimson to brown as he cleaned your wounds, fed you even, while he stood in a house that fucking reeked of blood. Not only did he make sure you were okay, he still had time to console me and I was fucking sick to my stomach. And then, to top off all of the shit he'd already done for us, he walked us to Cross's house in the dead of winter and he was exhausted." Ichiru sighed as his hand slid from Zero's hair to cup his brother's cheek. 

"He's watched over us ever since then without asking for anything in return. He's never even hinted that he wants anything from us when he has every right in the world to do that. I know why you don't like him and I know it seems like he shares your sentiments but you're both just too egotistical to see eye to eye after all of these years. And Ken, well… I think you've both gotten so used to the idea of disliking each other that it's second nature now, which is why I was glad that you accepted his offer to help you. Maybe it'll bring you two stubborn bastards closer together. I dunno… I just think you should give him a chance, even if it's a really, really, small fucking sliver of a chance." 

Zero's face was blank as he met Ichiru's intense gaze and breathed in his delicious scent. He wanted to say something, anything, but he was completely floored. Most of what Ichiru said he'd known already, deep down he knew, but he didn't want to believe that Kaname Kuran, pureblood prince, had shown compassion to not only Yuuki but two strange boys who'd needed help at their weakest moment in time. Zero knew that he should've been thankful for the gesture on Kaname's part but he could never bring himself to do anything more than resent the entire vampire race with a passion deeper than that of anything else he'd ever felt emotion for. The Hunter inside of him yearned for him to hate and reject all things vampire, as did the child inside of him who sought to avenge the savage slaying of his parents. That was something that would possibly never change but perhaps he'd be able to make a slight exception for the beast who'd saved his life. 

Zero's face softened as a small smile replaced the blank expression. "I'll consider it." 

The youngest of the twins knew that was as good as a yes and he smirked as he pulled Zero's face closer to his. "Good." Ichiru's soft lips pressed against Zero's, lingering there as he was tempted to actually taste his brother. _Another time…_ he thought as he pulled away from Zero- only slightly- and opted to instead snuggle into his doppelganger, pulling Zero's arm around his waist. "Night Ro. Don't think yourself to death like I know you want to and just go to sleep." 

Zero frowned. Ichiru had hit the nail on the head but he had plenty of time to think, plenty of time to do many things, so he opted to fall asleep as his twin had suggested. "G'nite Ru." 

  


* * *

* * *

  


"Kaname-sama?" 

The pureblood in question glanced from the papers spread about his desk to his door as he contemplated allowing the small group outside of his chambers entrance into his sanctuary. His rooms still held the stench of his blood but he was feeling rather sadistic tonight. They'd brought it upon themselves if they had to sit and suffer through the agonizing temptation that was a pureblood's blood for he had not asked them to come to him once classes ended. Furthermore, Kaname always felt rather vindictive after allowing Zero to eat without being able to satiate his sexual urges or his own hunger and he knew that that was going to be a problem if their arrangement persisted much as it currently was. 

No matter. Kaname intended to worry over that later. 

Without much more thought on the matter he turned in his seat and opened the doors for them, watching with twisted amusement as they all lingered in his doorway. He felt a sick sense of pleasure as every single pair of eyes held flecks of vermillion before returning to normal. 

"Do you all intend to stand in my doorway until the sun rises or did you have something that you wanted to say?" Kaname's cold and empty dark pools stared at the group and they quickly entered his living room, closing the door shut behind them. "Have a seat then." 

The six nobles that made up Kaname's inner circle took their respective seat on his couches. It was always the same: Shiki and Takuma on the couch closest to Kaname's desk with Rima perched on the arm nearest to Shiki as Kain, Aido, and Ruka sat opposite of them. The pureblood stood from his desk and seated himself in the arm chair that separated the two couches. He did not bother to glance over his shoulder as Seiren made her presence known behind him. He could see that they were all still putting forth a gallant struggle to ignore the lingering aroma of his earlier activities and, as humorous as it was to watch them squirm, he didn't intend to make them suffer for long. 

"Well? Have you all wandered into my quarters with nothing to say or do you fear speaking? I grant you permission to speak freely granted that you do not step too far out of line." Kaname was tempted to chuckle as they all seemed to relax. 

The only one brave enough to open his mouth was Takuma but that was no surprise. His childhood friend had never refrained from speaking his mind when it came to him, even if he had to do so in a roundabout fashion that would not defy Kaname's superiority. "Are you truly feeding Kiryuu-kun?" 

Without batting an eyelash Kaname answered. "I am." He supposed now was better a time than any to explain his situation to them. He trusted his core group of friends and, if need be, they would certainly know how to cover for him. 

"Why have you chosen to do such a thing, Kaname-sama?" Aido really wanted to ask why Kaname was bestowing such a precious gift upon someone so undeserving, so ungrateful, when others would have surely died to receive such a rare blessing but he refrained himself. He was almost positive that Kaname knew what it was he truly wanted to ask from the start. 

Kaname considered his next words choosing them carefully as not to allow them to think he'd grown too soft throughout his days spent with the mortals. "Kiryuu is the next best option to any of you when it comes to watching over Yuuki in my steed. He was beginning to slip into an E-level state and I am positive you've all sensed this as I have." He paused as he awaited their confirmation and once received, he proceeded to speak. "Knowing this, then it should be of no surprise that I've chosen to sustain his life in order to preserve another's." 

He hadn't entirely fabricated but he certainly hadn't told them the truth. Kaname did want to ensure Yuuki's safety via Zero's health, however, he also wanted to be sure that Ichiru was well taken care of, that Zero lived to prolong the happiness of those closest to him- whom were subsequently close to Kaname as well. In addition to those things, he wanted to preserve the life he'd worked so hard to keep intact when it was obvious that the boy should have let death take him. Kaname was still curious to see what was at the end of Zero's tunnel given that the Hunter had fought so hard not to die long before the pureblood prince stumbled upon him. 

That night… that cold winter's night when the wind had blown the strong stench of blood and death in his direction, Kaname had had every intention to finish the job someone before him had started. Not feeding from humans had still been a fresh concept to him and he did not believe two soon to be orphans would matter much. And then he saw Ichiru's tear streaked face beside a replica that was fighting for what little chance of survival it had left. Everything inside of him had screamed for him to devour the insipid children so that he could be on his way and act as though he'd never paused in his trek towards Cross' home but he hadn't. No, he'd tortured himself by remaining in the house if only to clean Zero's wounds and console Ichiru who was mentally far worse for wear than the nearly dead ex-human. After spending hours inside of a house that had driven him insane with hunger, he'd forced himself to walk the two bundled twins all the way to Cross' home. He hadn't the strength to run and, even if he had, he wouldn't have seen it fit to do so considering one of the boys was unconscious. 

From there it was a long, nearly happy, journey of watching Yuuki, Ichiru, and Zero grow up together. 

In the beginning, he'd tried to befriend Zero much as he had Ichiru but the boy hadn't given him a chance and had even went as far as to knock down every attempt Kaname made to make his acquaintance. The entire ordeal had frustrated him and made him impatient, which gave way to general disdain as Zero's dour attitude never let up when he was around. Then there was the envy… which was an entirely different matter in it of itself. Nonetheless, he'd never intended to dislike the eldest twin but that was all that was left for him to do when the boy wouldn't simply bend to his will and politely accept him as Ichiru had. 

He hated that Zero was one of a rare few who blatantly disrespected him and he loathed the fact that the same boy was able to get a rise out of him. Kaname did not understand how someone so far beneath him- because apart from how he'd attempted to shift his own mindset, he knew Zero was beneath him- could so easily blow him off. In fact, he still could not understand how such a thing was possible but it was likely to change. They were due to spend a great fraction of their time together on a regular basis now and those moments were going to be more intimate than not. Perhaps the boy would lighten up and allow them to form, if nothing else, an amicable association with one another. 

Takuma's soft voice sliced through the eerie silence and shook Kaname from his musings. "How long do you intend to persist with such an arrangement, Kaname-sama?" 

Kaname's dark orbs met Takuma's jade. "Until I no longer have to." 

With that response, they all knew that the period to "speak freely" had ended. There were so many questions that would be left unanswered all on account of the wrong question being posed far too soon. Aido wanted to throw a tantrum at the loss of such a rare opportunity but he settled for narrowing his eyes at Takuma. 

"If there is nothing else then you are all free to go." Kaname watched as they all stood, bowing slightly before him whilst uttering a chorus of "goodnight Kaname-sama." His keen eyes did not miss the way Aido hesitated and Kaname was curious as to what more the vampire could possibly be tempted to say after being dismissed. "Hanabusa, stay a moment." 

Surprised, Aido seated himself again on the couch and the others gave him brief inquiring glances as they vacated the room. The blond fidgeted as Kaname's dark gaze bored into him, the silence of the room nearly suffocating, but he did not dare to speak without first being addressed. 

Kaname smiled but it seemed far too empty in the noble's eyes to mean anything good. "It seemed as though you wanted to say something and I am giving you this chance to do so." 

Blue eyes widened as Aido cautiously picked the right way to phrase his intentions. "I know that the act of donating without reciprocation can be _tiresome_ and I was wondering if, possibly, you'd allow me to quench your own thirst Kaname-sama." 

Kaname felt his desires reawaken tenfold as the offer slipped past those rosy lips. His pulse spiked in expectation of what was to come as his dark pools shifted to a cinnabar tint. "I don't see why not. Go and make yourself ready in my bedroom and I will arrive soon enough." 

Aido nodded and did as he was told, blood soaring through his veins as it did every time he was allowed to bed his lord. He could not wait for the night to unfold. 

Nor could Kaname, however, he would not be able to avoid thoughts of a certain platinum blond sneaking into his mind. And at this point, he wasn't too sure if he cared. 

* * *

**TBC**

* * *

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Ichiru and Zero's relationship will begin to "broaden" as this story moves forward but- to those who are ready to call it quits- you shouldn't completely write this off on account of that. I tried to make it as natural and as fictionally-truthful of a relationship as I could and I think I did them some justice. Read on people, I encourage you to.
> 
> As for potential concerns about Kaname being a vicious bastard who's a bit crude... That's somewhat spot on. I wanted Kaname to be the embodiment of how I perceive a real vampire to be and, at the same time, I wanted him to stay in character. In fact, all of my vampires in this story should be considered their own species and Kaname's behavior is, inherently, the core of who they are. Vampires! I think I was able to accomplish that. 
> 
> In order for all of you to understand where I'm coming from, I should briefly explain how I think of vampires. I believe they are guided by the wonderful pleasures of life and they have no inhibitions- no human ones at least. Purebloods more so than any of the others. When I factor in their arrogance of assuming that they're better than all other species the planet has to offer, you get a well refined pleasure fiend. If you're a Twilight Fan... this definitely isn't the story for you.
> 
> As for Kaname, in the manga more so than the anime, we see that he has a darker side to him, however, because the manga is generally from Yuuki/Zero's POV, we see this in small burst. I'm allowing you to see Kaname behind the scenes so to speak. You all get to take a look in that pretty little head of his. So... there you have it. My quick rendition of what I believe a vampire encompasses. Hope that helps a little.
> 
>   
> **Anywho, thank you for reading and, if you dug it, please do drop me a line or hit that kudos button.**  
> 


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